Gap-fill
French B1 gap-fill: infinitive or subjunctive after wishes?
Complete 12 wishes and reactions around an unexpected invitation. Track who acts, choose an infinitive or subjunctive, then read the translation.
- B1
- 12 gaps
- Translation included
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In short
With souhaiter or être heureux de, use an infinitive when the same person performs both actions. Use que plus a subjunctive when the second action has its own subject: Je souhaite rester, but je souhaite que tu restes.
| Meaning | French pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One person: I want to speak | souhaiter + infinitive | Je souhaite parler à Luc. |
| Two subjects: I want Luc to speak | souhaiter que + subjunctive | Je souhaite que Luc parle. |
| One person: glad to be here | être heureux de + infinitive | Je suis heureux de participer. |
| A reaction to another person’s action | être heureux que + subjunctive | Je suis heureux que vous participiez. |
Lina has barely spoken to her brother Hugo for six months. An invitation from him changes the weekend. Complete all 12 verbs with the present infinitive or present subjunctive; the surrounding words supply the prepositions and subjects.
Une invitation inattendue
Vendredi, Lina reçoit un message de son frère Hugo. Depuis une dispute, ils échangent seulement des nouvelles rapides. Cette fois, il lui propose de venir dimanche. Lina est surprise. « Je suis heureuse de (recevoir) ton invitation, écrit-elle. Je souhaite que nous (pouvoir) parler tranquillement. »
Hugo répond aussitôt. Il souhaite (préparer) le repas lui-même, car il aime cuisiner. Mais il veut que Lina (choisir) l’heure de leur rendez-vous. Elle termine son travail à midi et ne veut pas courir. « Je préfère (arriver) vers quatorze heures », propose-t-elle. Son frère accepte.
Lina hésite à parler de leur dispute avant dimanche. Elle craint de (gâcher) ce premier échange agréable. Pourtant, elle souhaite que son frère (comprendre) pourquoi elle était blessée. Hugo, de son côté, est content que Lina (venir) chez lui. Il lui écrit qu’il veut surtout l’écouter.
Dimanche, Lina arrive à l’heure prévue. Elle est contente de (retrouver) son frère. Hugo lui dit : « Je suis heureux que tu (être) là. » Ils commencent par raconter leur semaine, puis abordent enfin leur désaccord. Lina veut que chacun (pouvoir) finir ses phrases. Hugo est soulagé de (voir) qu’ils peuvent discuter calmement. En partant, elle lui propose de se revoir le mois suivant.
Read it in English
On Friday, Lina receives a message from her brother Hugo. Since an argument, they have only exchanged brief updates. This time he invites her over on Sunday. Lina is surprised. “I’m happy to receive your invitation,” she writes. “I’d like us to be able to talk quietly.”
Hugo replies immediately. He wants to prepare the meal himself because he likes cooking. But he wants Lina to choose the time they meet. She finishes work at noon and doesn’t want to rush. “I’d rather arrive around two,” she suggests. Her brother agrees.
Lina hesitates about mentioning their argument before Sunday. She is afraid of spoiling this first pleasant exchange. Yet she wants her brother to understand why she was hurt. Hugo, for his part, is glad Lina is coming to his home. He writes that he mainly wants to listen to her.
On Sunday, Lina arrives at the agreed time. She is happy to see her brother again. Hugo tells her, “I’m happy you’re here.” They begin by describing their week, then finally discuss their disagreement. Lina wants each person to be able to finish their sentences. Hugo is relieved to see that they can talk calmly. As she leaves, she suggests meeting again the following month.
- Je souhaite de venir.Je souhaite venir.
Souhaiter takes the infinitive directly when the subject stays the same.
- Je suis contente que tu viens.Je suis contente que tu viennes.
The reaction introduces a second subject with que, followed here by the subjunctive.
The small words around a gap matter. De already appears after the expressions of emotion in this text; put only the verb into those gaps. With chacun, the verb is singular, even though the wish concerns both people.